Uk Visit Visa - Reason To Return

[Scousebkk]

Hi all,

Me and my gf will soon be applying for a 6 month visit visa with the intention of utilizing one month of that. After reading extensively on the forum, I feel we may have difficulty in proving that she will return to Thailand but confident we can meet the other requirements.

She will be starting a university course later this year; will a letter from the university confirming her place be seen by the ECO as sufficient reason to return? Having read on TVF, I feel it may not be enough. She owns no land and only rents an apartment whilst she is studying.

We've been together almost 2 years and I was living in Thailand for about 16 months of that before returning to the U.K for a post grad course.

Would a letter from a previous employer ( a doctor) vouching her character be of any use?

Edited January 6, 2013 by Scousebkk

[theoldgit]

Whilst the ECO will look at the bigger picture the reason to return is vitally important, and a confirmed university place is certainly indicative that she is likely to return. So yes, she should provide full details of her university place, including details of how she is funding it.

I'm not sure about the letter from the doctor, her former employer, I'm not sure how much weight a character references carries, it could possibly open up more questions, why did she leave and how does she live now.

Give full details of her proposed trip, including how it's going to be funded, it's not unreasonable for someone to have a holiday whilst they are able, ie before she is tied down at uni. Give details of your relationship, and maybe include your plans for the future, just in case the ECO has a nagging doubt that after you spending time in Thailand she wants to live with you in the UK.

From what you have said, I don't see a problem with your girlfriend's application.

Good luck.

[beano2274]

Is this University course a full time course? If so, then that is all you need. Forget the letter from a previous employer, that would just give the ECO a chance to ask more questions if required.

Edited January 7, 2013 by beano2274

[Scousebkk]

Thanks very much for your replies. Hopefully everything will be ok then.

[tw25rw]

In the covering letter, point out that she will also be applying for other visas in the future and won't want to jeopardise those by overstaying.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

The application will be judged on the balance of probabilities so you must submit a thorough application.

• What about strong family ties ?
  

[Scousebkk]

She does have a daughter. Should this be mentioned in the application letter? I've seen 7 by 7 post a lot about ECOs having an understanding that it is the norm for children to be cared for by grandparents. I'm confused and a little worried in fairness.

I think the best thing we can do is submit everything and omit nothing

[theoldgit]

She does have a daughter. Should this be mentioned in the application letter? I've seen 7 by 7 post a lot about ECOs having an understanding that it is the norm for children to be cared for by grandparents. I'm confused and a little worried in fairness.

I think the best thing we can do is submit everything and omit nothing

I agree, whilst the ECO's will be aware that many mothers will leave their children with grandparents whilst they go off to earn money to support the wider family, I wouldn't say it's the majority or even the norm.

I think you are right to submit everything, thus giving the ECO the full picture.

[7by7]

Part 4 of the application form asks for details of the applicant's family, including children, and this must be completed fully and accurately.

I recall one case where a child wasn't mentioned in a settlement application and when the parent later applied for settlement for that child the application was refused because the mother had said on her application that she did not have any children.

[Tony M]

If I was the ECO I would also be looking at her background in addition to her current circumstances. For instance, how old is she, and what is her education hsitory ? This becomes important when, for instance, the ECO assesses her current /proposed course of study. She has obvioulsy been employed, but now intends studying again. How long is the gap in her studies ? Why is she taking the current course ? How is it funded ? How is she ( and her child) supported ? All of this can be sput into your supporting letter ( assuming that it "makes sense").

Her current circumstances ( the studies ) are important to her reasons to return to Thailand, so they have to be solid. They also have to be reasonable for the ECO to consider them as relevant. For instance, if she has been out of studies for several years, then he might think that the course has been arranged solely to make the application look better, or to show reasons to return. If she only left secondary education fairly recently, then further studies make sense.

Each application is different, so nobody will be able to give you a definitive answer on "reasons to return". Just make sure they are reasonable.

[NanLaew]

..... All of this can be put into your supporting letter ( assuming that it "makes sense").

....

Why would the OP have to include all this information in his supporting letter? It is the girlfriend that is making the application and there are places in the application for her to detail the ins and outs of her former work, further education plans and reason to return. If the OP's supporting letter has all this in detail, it may look like he filled in the application as well and although this is common enough and not exactly prohibited, unless he has discussed thoroughly with his girlfriend what she is purported to be saying, there's a chance that she may unable to answer a direct question arising from what the OP has stated in HER application. A good tip if one is assisting ones Thai partner with the online application is to ensure you answer in the First person and not slip into Third person perspective which tends to happen when doing something for someone else. I would certainly mention some basic information such as the type of course, the university and maybe the approximate dates but don't have too much detail in what is after all only supposed to be a supporting letter.

Another thing to consider mentioning in any partners supporting letter is THEIR intention to return to Thailand with their partner, if applicable. The OP appears to be doing post-graduate studies in the UK so in this instance, may have nothing to offer in direct support of her intention to return to Thailand. But keep it in mind for future applications where the OP may indeed have acquired work or engaging in further education in Thailand.

Good luck!

[Tony M]

..... All of this can be put into your supporting letter ( assuming that it "makes sense").

....

Why would the OP have to include all this information in his supporting letter? It is the girlfriend that is making the application and there are places in the application for her to detail the ins and outs of her former work, further education plans and reason to return. If the OP's supporting letter has all this in detail, it may look like he filled in the application as well and although this is common enough and not exactly prohibited, unless he has discussed thoroughly with his girlfriend what she is purported to be saying, there's a chance that she may unable to answer a direct question arising from what the OP has stated in HER application. A good tip if one is assisting ones Thai partner with the online application is to ensure you answer in the First person and not slip into Third person perspective which tends to happen when doing something for someone else. I would certainly mention some basic information such as the type of course, the university and maybe the approximate dates but don't have too much detail in what is after all only supposed to be a supporting letter.

Another thing to consider mentioning in any partners supporting letter is THEIR intention to return to Thailand with their partner, if applicable. The OP appears to be doing post-graduate studies in the UK so in this instance, may have nothing to offer in direct support of her intention to return to Thailand. But keep it in mind for future applications where the OP may indeed have acquired work or engaging in further education in Thailand.

Good luck!

You can, of course, put anything you want into a supporting letter, from the perspective of either the applicant or the sponsor, or both. By putting relevant information into the letter it "paints" a complete picture of the applicant's and sponsor's backgrounds, which makes it far easier for the ECO to reach a decision. As I said, if I was the ECO I would be looking for a complete picture, and I would certainly want to know why the applicant is returning to studies ( if she hasn't already started them) after being employed. Others, yourself included, might not see this as relevant. That's fine. Each to his own.

[7by7]

unless he has discussed thoroughly with his girlfriend what she is purported to be saying, there's a chance that she may unable to answer a direct question arising from what the OP has stated in HER application.

Purported to be saying?

If everything in the application, on the form and in the sponsor's letter is true, as it should be, then surely there is absolutely no chance of her being unable to answer a question about anything in the application pertaining to her circumstances and future plans?

Although I will grant you that she may not be fully aware of all the information in his sponsor's letter pertaining to his circumstances.

Very unlikely that she would be interviewed anyway; UK visit visa applicants rarely are.

[NanLaew]

..... All of this can be put into your supporting letter ( assuming that it "makes sense").

....

Why would the OP have to include all this information in his supporting letter? It is the girlfriend that is making the application and there are places in the application for her to detail the ins and outs of her former work, further education plans and reason to return. If the OP's supporting letter has all this in detail, it may look like he filled in the application as well and although this is common enough and not exactly prohibited, unless he has discussed thoroughly with his girlfriend what she is purported to be saying, there's a chance that she may unable to answer a direct question arising from what the OP has stated in HER application. A good tip if one is assisting ones Thai partner with the online application is to ensure you answer in the First person and not slip into Third person perspective which tends to happen when doing something for someone else. I would certainly mention some basic information such as the type of course, the university and maybe the approximate dates but don't have too much detail in what is after all only supposed to be a supporting letter.

Another thing to consider mentioning in any partners supporting letter is THEIR intention to return to Thailand with their partner, if applicable. The OP appears to be doing post-graduate studies in the UK so in this instance, may have nothing to offer in direct support of her intention to return to Thailand. But keep it in mind for future applications where the OP may indeed have acquired work or engaging in further education in Thailand.

Good luck!

You can, of course, put anything you want into a supporting letter, from the perspective of either the applicant or the sponsor, or both. By putting relevant information into the letter it "paints" a complete picture of the applicant's and sponsor's backgrounds, which makes it far easier for the ECO to reach a decision. As I said, if I was the ECO I would be looking for a complete picture, and I would certainly want to know why the applicant is returning to studies ( if she hasn't already started them) after being employed. Others, yourself included, might not see this as relevant. That's fine. Each to his own.

The OP has only mentioned a supporting letter whereas yourself and 7by7 are talking about a sponsors letter. With regard to being a sponsor, then I wholeheartedly agree that the more detail and cross-referencing and corroboration between the standalone application and the sponsor's letter the better. In the meantime, the OP hasn't mentioned sponsorship.

Sent in transit from a mausoleum like KLIA with an Asus eePad Transformer TF201 thingumabob.

[7by7]

In this situation they are the same thing.